Celebrate National Nutrition Month in your Club March is National Nutrition Month and the Indian Health Service (IHS) is celebrating by bringing you new materials to share with your youth and community. From podcasts to posters, these IHS resources demonstrate how easy it can be to make healthy choices when it comes to nutrition. Be sure to check out My Native Plate, a guide to making balanced meals in reasonable portion sizes. Based off the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s My Plate tool, this version has been designed specifically for Native audiences and could be a perfect learning tool in your Club. Help your Club members form healthy nutrition behaviors by using these resources in your Club this month.
OMHRC releases new online health and wellness curriculum for Native youth
Built on mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness concepts, The Circle of Life is a new curriculum designed for American Indian/Alaska Native youth in grades 6 and 7. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health Resource Center used the medicine wheel to build this holistic approach which uses multimedia skill-building games and activities to teach students about making healthy choices to prevent diseases such as HIV/AIDS. To access the curriculum, go to http://www.katprojects.com/CircleOfLife.
New Native Learning Site for Youth
A new Web site was launched for youth to learn about contemporary Indian life in the Great Lakes Region. The Ways posts stories, for youth in grades 6-12, about Native Americans living in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Stories contain visuals and interactive tools that explore Native culture and language today and how it relates to tribal history. Based in Wisconsin, the site also aims to aid educators in meeting the requirements of Wisconsin Act 31, which states that youth must learn about American Indian culture and history in the state. Current stories include whitefish fishing in the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe hip-hop artist, and others. To learn more, visit www.theways.org.
NCAI launches online community for Native youth
In an effort to shape Native youth into tomorrow’s leaders, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has created NDNSpark. This online community helps 13- to 24-year-olds set, track, and achieve their goals. NDNSpark aims to promote community service and healthy lifestyles. After registering on NDNSpark, users can customize their personal pages, communicate with friends and other users, and post their goals. As a member of NCAI’s online community, youth can access weekly blogs, resources, and connect with youth from across Indian Country. Users can also join different teams within the community such as the team Getting Started with Exercise. To learn more about NDNSpark, read these introductory materials: http://naclubs.org/media/pdf/NDNSparkSignUp.pdf. Or go to www.sparkteens.com/ncai to get started!
Club Notes Asks You!
Each quarter, we ask youth to respond to a question from Club Notes. Here is how Club members from the Lake Vermillion Boys & Girls Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale- Lehi Branch, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lake Lake Area- Cass Lake Unit, Deer River Unit, Walker Unit, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians- Pearl River Unit answered this question: If you could visit any place, where would it be and why? Click here to see all answers.
Meet AmeriCorps*VISTA member – Olivia May!
A new job and new home bring the joys and excitement of a new journey and life changes. My name is Olivia, and I am the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale - Lehi Branch AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) member. I arrived in Mesa, AZ, from a small town in Pennsylvania. With the excitement of moving for the first time and starting a new job, I couldn’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life. But nerves, anxiety, and worry overcame me and were all the feelings that I was encountering. When I finally arrived here and met the Club staff all those feelings changed to complete excitement. They welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like I belonged. It was getting used to a new environment and job that I would have to overcome.
Fall Fun in Choctaw, Mississippi! The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians had a busy and exciting fall, full of many events!To celebrate American Indian Day on September 28, the Clubs gathered together and held a Brave and Princess Pageant open to all Club members. With the Club staff’s creativity and team work, the pageant was not only beautiful, but a great success!
Club Alumna Does Big Things
You may have heard of former Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale - Red Mountain Branch Club member Daryl Lynn Jay. She was their Youth of the Year in 2004 and is a member of the Komatke Village of the Gila River Indian Community. She also won the titles of Junior Miss Gila River, Miss Gila River, and Miss Indian Arizona. She was a member of the NCAI’s Youth Commission, Governor Napolitano’s Youth on Education Board Member, and Akimel O’odham PeePosh Youth Council Member and President. Daryl Lynn was also a game room instructor and teen director at the Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley.
Daryl Lynn still hasn’t slowed down! She is currently majoring in public administration at Scottsdale Community College, and wants to pursue a master’s degree and maybe a doctorate. She works for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs as a youth development specialist. Daryl Lynn also runs a non-profit called Shining Stars, which helps young Pima women with life skills, self esteem, and goal-setting.
Daryl gives back to the community by volunteering at the Komatke Branch of the Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley and the Clubs in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Her family’s support was important in getting her where she is today. Congratulations on your accomplishments, Daryl Lynn!
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
Honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and commitment to service by participating in the MLK Day of Service on January 21, 2013. Special projects and curriculum for grades 3 – 8 are available from the book publisher Scholastic. These lessons and projects approach the idea of service through the lenses of language arts, social studies, and science. The materials provide students with the opportunity to experience the joy of service in a classroom, curriculum-centric manner. Access these activities by going to http://www.scholastic.com/mlkday/. Or, follow Serve.gov’s blog called Inspiring the Spirit of Service to learn more about this event.
Boys & Girls Club of Moody County gets building of its own Since the Club opened in 2007, the Boys & Girls Club of Moody County has operated out of five different buildings. But this spring, that will change. The Club received funds from a community block grant to build its own, stand-alone building to serve nearly 100 youth ages 5 – 18. The plan is to build the Club near the public schools in Flandreau, SD, to provide easier access for youth. Construction will begin in May 2013 with the hopes of new Club doors opening December 2013. To learn more about this exciting development, go to http://bit.ly/UR2qvg. Congratulations, Boys & Girls Club of Moody County!
Native American Heritage Month Resource: Smithsonian Education
Looking for timely articles, teaching resources, or news updates for Native American Heritage Month? Look no further than the Smithsonian Education Web page. The Smithsonian has compiled all of its resources on Native American history and heritage into one convenient location. And it posted all of its Washington, D.C. and New York City events taking place for Native American Heritage Month. Check it out here: www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/aihm/index.html.
See how Indian Country Responded to Call for the Native Vote
One week ago, Native Americans made their vote count. To celebrate the impressive response from Indian Country at the polls, Native Vote published a video showcasing all of the voting events that happened across the country. A campaign of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Native Vote encouraged Native Americans to exercise their right to vote. Watch the video here: http://bit.ly/TASes2. Keep an eye out for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale 45 seconds into the video!
Share How your Community Mobilized the Native Vote With the election at a close, it is time to recognize your hard work to turn out the Native vote. In January, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) called on Indian Country for the largest Native voter turnout in history. And Indian Country responded! With voter drives. With powwows. With grassroots efforts. Did your community host a Native Vote Action Week event? Or did you promote voting in another way? Tell us about it! Send your stories, photos, or videos by November 15, 2012, to info@naclubs.org, and we’ll feature your community in one of our publications or online mediums. Let Indian Country know how you shared your voice at the polls.
BGCA Spotlights Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country for Native American Heritage Month
As part of its recognition of Native American Heritage Month, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) featured its partnership with Native American Boys & Girls Clubs in the most recent issue of Connections, a quarterly newsletter for Club professionals. Read the full article by going to http://www.bgca.org/meetourpartners/Pages/NativeAmericanClubs_20Years.aspx.
Native American Heritage Month
Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country will be celebrating Native American Heritage Month all throughout November 2012. We’ll be posting regular updates to connect you to events and resources. This year’s theme honors the important current and historic role of the Native American voice in the United States. Learn more about Native American Heritage Month, as well as partners, events, and ways to get involved, by visiting http://www.aianheritagemonth.org or http://www.aianheritagemonth.org/.
Cherokee Nation Donates $150,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs
Seven Native American Boys & Girls Clubs in Oklahoma received $150,000 funding from the Cherokee Nation this month. Over the past five years, the tribe has donated more than $1.3 million to support the operations of these Clubs. Recipients of the funding include the Boys & Girls Clubs in Adair County, Bartlesville, Chelsea, Cherokee County, Nowata, Sequoyah County, and Jay, which has the largest enrollment in the state with 5,000 members. To read more about this contribution, go to http://bit.ly/XQ50Fw.
New Newsletter Provides Online Mentoring Resources
Youth development professionals looking for recent studies on, best practices, forum discussions, and activity ideas for mentoring can now turn to the Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring. This online newsletter is managed by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership. Visit http://chronicle.umbmentoring.org to read the newsletter.
OJJDP Mentoring Resources Available
Those interested in mentoring youth involved in juvenile justice or foster care systems can now access free training resources from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). An office of the U.S. Department of Justice, OJJDP now links to The Center for the Advancement of Mentoring (TCAM) on its National Training & Technical Assistance Web page. On TCAM, OJJDP offers self-paced training modules for mentors and staff, as well as facilitated courses. Access these materials by visiting http://advancementoring.org/online-training.
Take our survey!
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian Country (BGCIC) has used www.NAClubs.org as the resource center for Native American Clubs across the country for more than 14 years. In an effort to better serve Indian County, we are updating the content we provide and the way that you access it. In an effort to make sure that we are meeting the changing needs of your community, we want your feedback. But before we roll out these changes, we want to hear from the people who use these resources most - you. Please take a moment to answer a quick, six-question survey. It will only take a few minutes, and we'd really like to hear your thoughts. Take the survey by going to http://surveymonkey.com/s/BGCICSurvey.
BGCIC also would like to stay in touch with you through e-mails. Get the latest information on funding and program opportunities, best practices, and trainings and events. Go to http://eepurl.com/p2jQz to sign up today!
White House Celebrates First Year of Let’s Move! in Indian Country On June 1, 2012 the White House held an event to celebrate the first year of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC) initiative. Youth and adults from across the country came to the event. Representatives from Native communities and organizations made up a panel to talk about all of the successes in the first year. Professional basketball players Tahnee Robinson of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and Ben Strong of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians were on the panel. After the discussion they lead a basketball clinic for youth.
Tahnee and Ben were also interviewed about the LMIC impact on youth. Tahnee said she believes it is important to get the message of healthy eating and exercise to youth. She said, “they are the up and coming generation and they are the ones that will be changing everything.” Tahnee is a spokesperson for LMIC and tries to help reduce diabetes and obesity in Indian Country. Ben talked about how he would like to become a role model for youth. He spoke about how his own role model influenced him to want to be a role model. He said, “I want to be that guy for the next generation and change lives.” This past February, Ben visited with youth at the Boys & Girls Club of the Red Lake Nation in Red Lake, MN.
Learning About Money Can Be Fun! Youth at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Three Districts in Ft. Thompson, SD, took part in a fun financial learning event this summer. Twenty youth participated in the Crow Creek Asset Building Okodakiciyapi Youth Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program. The youth learned about saving and spending money and the value of a good work ethic. They did this by being involved in financial education activities. Some of the activities were a lemonade stand, helping in the garden, and a carwash. The youth helped pick a savings goal for the IDA Program at the beginning of the summer. Club members under 10-years-old decided on a bike, and the older youth (10-13 years old) chose a laptop. By attending at least half of the activities over the summer, the youth earned money toward their savings goal and on August 8th, the youth celebrated the completion of the program!
Club Notes Asks You! Each quarter, we ask youth to respond to a question from Club Notes. Here is how Club members from the Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club in Odanah, WI answer the question, If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Bear, because they are independent.
- Destiny, 15
Tiger, because it is my animal on the Chinese calendar.
- Ian, 14
Bear, what clan I am.
- Dinelle, 15
Wolf, because they are awesome.
- Mike, 12
Tiger, because I can roar really loud.
- Romeo, 11
Monkey, because they are fun.
- Jevon, 9
Cheetah, because they are fast and intelligent.
- Teagan, 10
Cheetah, because their eyes glow.
- Adrian, 7
Tiger, they look awesome and they are fast.
- Jamal, 9
Cat, because they are furry.
- Lianna, 9
Hamster, because they are cute.
- Vanessa, 9
Werewolf, because they are awesome!
- Phoenix, 6
Bunny, because they are cute and fluffy.
- Mariah, 10
Tiger, because they are cute.
- Samara, 9
Dog, because they are cute.
- Makayla, 10
Eagle, because they are amazing.
- Olivia, 7
We R Native Launches New Website
We R Native, the comprehensive health and wellness resource for Native American youth, launched a new Website. Viewers can find information on health and wellness, culture, community, and education, as well as learn how to enter art and photo contests. The Website also offers an “Ask Auntie” section and mini-grants for youth to complete community service projects. We R Native is an initiative of the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. Go to www.WeRNative.org to discover the variety resources this Website offers.
Sign up now to host a Native Vote Action Week event Native Vote hosted a Webinar yesterday titled Opportunities for Youth Organizations in Indian Country. See the full presentation here: www.nativevote.org/page/native-vote-trainings.Some of the most exciting news from the Webinar is that September 24-28 is Native Vote Action Week. You can get involved by hosting a voter registration drive, a democracy class session, or a rally. Sign-up your event by going to www.tinyurl.com/NVActionWeek.
National Suicide Prevention Week
This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. Join the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) to help promote this event, which ends September 10. Visit the Center’s Web site to access a One-Stop Shop Resource Center for a full list of suicide prevention initiatives. Or, encourage a young person to submit a Story of Inspiration to share a message of support and motivation. To learn more about getting involved with CNAY to promote National Suicide Prevention Week, go to http://bit.ly/Q54iiX.
PSA encourages Native youth to rise above bullying
Watch Stand Up Against Bullying in Indian Country, a video from the Indian Health Service on putting an end to bullying in Indian Country. Posted on StopBullying.gov, the public service announcement reinforces to Native youth that bullying is not part of the Native culture or traditions. The video takes place in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and features members of the Indian Health Board of Nevada Youth Advisory Council. StopBullying.gov is a website devoted to bullying prevention and is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To watch the video, go to http://www.stopbullying.gov/videos/2011/12/bullying-in-indian-country.html.
SuAnne Big Crow Boys & Girls Club 20th Anniversary Celebration
This video commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the SuAnne Big Crow Boys & Girls Club, which was the first Boys & Girls Club established in Indian Country. In 2002, Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA.org) collaborated with several federal agencies to construct a 30,000 square foot, $6 million building for the youth of Pine Ridge. The Club serves an average of 500 youth annually and Club members maintain positive lifestyles, serve the community and are becoming leaders, scholars and athletes for the future.
The Movement that began in Pine Ridge has grown into a national network of nearly 200 Boys & Girls Clubs that serve more than 87,000 Native American youth in 25 states. These Clubs provide safe and caring environments by offering fun and effective programs, caring adult professionals and opportunities for youth to realize great futures.
2011 National Indian Education Study Now Available To gain a better understanding of Club youth’s experience at school, download the 2011 National Indian Education Study. Conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics, this study describes the condition of education for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students and examines the academic performance in reading and mathematics of AI/AN fourth and eighth graders and their exposure to Native American culture. Read the entire study by visiting http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nies/.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 106th Annual National ConferenceRecognitions and Awards in Indian Country May 2-4, 2012 | San Diego, CA Staff and board members from Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country (BGCIC) gathered together at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) 106th Annual National Conference in San Diego, CA. Together, they celebrated their successes of serving Native youth for 20 years. BGCA recognized the Movement in Indian Country during a morning general session and asked all Native Club staff to stand on stage in front of 2,000+ conference attendees.
Club representatives remained on the stage while Jacqueline Johnson Pata, Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians, accepted the Jeremiah Milbank Gold Medallion Award for her outstanding and extraordinary service and a resolution regarding the 20-year partnership with the Native American National Advisory Committee (NANAC). Mrs. Pata is a member of the Raven/Sockeye Clan of the Tlingit Tribe and a member of the Central Council of the Tlingit-Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
Ernest Stevens, Jr., chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association was also honored as he was inducted into BGCA's Alumni Hall of Fame. Mr. Stevens is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.
Click here to view some photos from the 2012 BGCA National Conference.
Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country Workshop On Friday, May 4, 2012, 54 Club professionals, board members and supporters attended the Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country Workshop, Opening the Door to the Next 20 Years in Indian Country, which was held on the last day of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 106th Annual National Conference in San Diego, CA. The attendees came to the workshop to acknowledge and celebrate 20 years of Native American Boys & Girls Clubs, as well as to seek information on current and future funding opportunities, program information and updates, and the chance to network with other Native American Boys & Girls Clubs.
The BGCIC Workshop began with program updates and announcements by Rebekka Meyer from FirstPic, Inc. Current projects Ms. Meyer highlighted during the presentation included On the T.R.A.I.L. (Together Raising Awareness for Indian Life) to Diabetes Prevention, the National Native American Mentoring Program, and the BGCIC AmeriCorps VISTA and Summer Associates Projects. Workshop participants were also informed about various partnership opportunities, including USDA’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiative, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s Office of Native American Programs, and the 2012 National Intertribal Youth Summit. Participants were updated on the April 2012 NANAC meeting and the progress being made towards NANAC serving as advisors to BGCIC, as well as the BGCIC Board Meeting which also occurred on May 4, 2012.
Next, James Short, Site Supervisor for the Salt River Department of Juvenile Corrections Program (SRDJCP), presented on best practices for SRDJCP’s partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCGS), both based in Scottsdale, AZ. The BGCSC SRDJCP is the first, full-time Boys & Girls Club program located inside a correctional facility in Indian Country. Mr. Short gave a brief history of the program, discussed program implementation and various BGCA core programming that is utilized, spoke about successes and challenges, and answered workshop participant questions.
After Mr. Short’s presentation, Jodi Martin, Midwest Regional Service Director, BGCA and Mike Marnin, Southwest Regional Service Director, BGCA gave an overview of Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Ms. Martin’s overview of KPIs, or organizational scorecard, touched on the relationship between KPIs, BGCA’s Formula for Impact Assessment, Standards of Organizational Effectiveness, and an Organizational Service Plan. She spoke about the history of KPI data, as well as the 20 specific KPIs that stretch over six critical areas: Strategic Growth, Impact, Finance, Resource Development, Board, and Aspirations. Ms. Martin reviewed in further depth four of the six critical areas - Strategic Growth, Impact, Finance, and Resource Development - and Mr. Marnin then reviewed in further depth the remaining two critical areas, Board and Aspirations.
In collaboration with Ms. Martin and Mr. Marnin, a three person panel of Rachel Schafer, from the Boys & Girls Club of Brookings – Moody County in Flandreau, SD and Ryan Eagle and Thomas Grace, from the Boys & Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes, in New Town, ND, was present to provide specific examples of the six critical areas as they relate to their Club organization. Dawn Huseby, Executive Director from the Red Lake Boys & Girls Club, in Red Lake, MN also shared information about the Club’s payroll deduction program, which the Club operates in conjunction with the tribe, and their annual fundraising fish fry event. The panelists, as well as Ms. Huseby, also fielded questions from workshop participants.
Ron Gurley, Native American Specialist from FirstPic, Inc., shared with workshop participants about AMBER Alert in Indian Country, part of the AMBER Alert Program National Strategy. AMBER Alert is a collaboration between law enforcement, the media, transportation, and other community partners who work together to disseminate information to the public in response to the most serious child abduction cases. Mr. Gurley’s presentation included: key findings on children who are abducted; AMBER Alert background information and successes in Indian Country; why tribal communities should participate; and the assessment process. Many workshop participants expressed this was the first they have heard of this initiative and were grateful for the information and knowledge.
Mr. Gurley also took the opportunity to inform and/or remind workshop participants about NAHASDA funding opportunities, which Native American Boys & Girls Clubs can receive through their tribe’s housing authority. NAHASDA stands for Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 and can be used for youth programming and construction of new community facilities. An example of a successful NAHASDA partnership is the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Dine Nation, who partnered with their housing authority and is now able to build three new Boys & Girls Clubs on the reservation with the $19.5 million they received in NAHASDA funds. Ms. Yvonne Kee-Billison of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Dine Nation shared about how this relationship was developed in their community.
The final presenter was Perry Cooper, Vice President, Federal Grants, BGCA. Mr. Cooper spoke about how the mentoring needs of at-risk youth are growing, yet at the same time that there is a shortage of mentors to help them. He shared that BGCA has made significant commitments via their Office of Justice Programs (OJP) National Mentoring Programs applications for funding, as well as in discussions with BGCA’s OJP partners, Clubs, and other invested parties, to aggressively and effectively develop and mobilize strategies to address and take significant steps toward meeting the mentoring needs of youth, with an emphasis on the existing mentoring gap (# of mentors needed vs. # of mentors available) for minority male youth. A National Mentor Recruitment Task Force has been organized. The task force’s leadership comprises approximately three to four local Boys & Girls Club professionals, six to eight select prospective National Mentor Recruitment Partners with national reach (e.g. Military, Civic and Service Associations, BGCA Corporate Partners, etc), and appropriate BGCA national staff.
Participants left the workshop and National Conference with a wealth of new information and resources to share with their Club sites and communities. A BGCIC Workshop resource page is in the process of being created on www.NAClubs.org. The resource page will host PowerPoint’s, documents, contact information, and fundraising and programming ideas. The resource page link will be emailed to all workshop participants.
Lehi Branch Unveils Updated Teen Center
Teens at the Lehi Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale walked into almost an entirely new facility this month. After months of renovations, the Club unveiled the updated Teen Center, complete with a performance stage with a lighting and sound system, upgraded fitness equipment, a computer lab, décor improvements and a painted mural representing the Native American culture. These renovations were made possible by a $50,000 donation from State Farm through Major League Baseball’s 2011 State Farm Home Run Derby at Chase Field in Phoenix. Raquelle Enos, a 15-year-old member of the Club, was paired with New York Yankees All-Star second baseman and 2011 State Farm Home Run Derby Champion Robinson Cano to win her Club the donation. With all of these improvements, the Teen Center now feels like a home to its members. Congratulations, Lehi Branch!
The Lehi Teen Center updates were madepossible by
a donation from State Farm and Major League Baseball.
Photo courtesy of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.
University students give back to Penobscot Club The Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club looks like a whole new building thanks to students from Suffolk University in Boston. About one dozen students from Suffolk spent their spring break at this Club in Maine completing a variety of Club improvement projects. In one week, they laid hardwood floor in the daycare center and painted the conference rooms in the Tribal Court and Health Department as well as the Club gym. Through their example, the Suffolk students served as positive role models for the Club youth. And they had the chance to learn a lot about the Penobscot Nation and its culture. Watch this video to learn more about their great experiences: http://youtu.be/jveNqxMNrxU.
Get a discounted rate for the BGCA National Conference
The BGCA National Conference in San Diego is the first week of May. This year, the Native American Clubs Workshop will not be a pre-conference workshop as it has been in the past. Instead, it will be Friday, May 4 from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. The room location is to be determined.
Also, in recognition of BGCA's 20 years of service in Indian Country celebration, a special conference rate has been set for Native American Clubs. BGCA has designated a discount code for Native American Club attendees so their registration fee will be $99.20 instead of $300. The cost saving code is NAANN12. Simply enter this code on the payment page and it will adjust the conference registration fee to the lower amount. Visit the National Conference page to register for the conference.
Note that this year's conference will feature a Native American Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, Ernest Stevens, and Jackie Johnson-Pata of the National Congress of American Indians will receive the Jeremiah Milbank Gold Medallion Award for outstanding and extraordinary service of National significance to BGCA.
BGCA President and CEO Visits Native Clubs
Since January, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) President and CEO Jim Clark has been touring Clubs around the country and recording his findings on his blog. Recently, Jim visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley – Komatke Unit in Tempe, AZ and the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club in Tulalip, WA. He noted the challenges these communities face from staggering high school drop-out rates to widespread substance abuse among youth. But Jim also wrote about the positive influence the Clubs have had on Tribal youth and the importance of their presence on Tribal lands. To read the entire story of Jim Clark’s visit, go to http://bgca.typepad.com.
Sixteen Clubs Featured in PSA for National Intertribal Youth Summit
Nearly 150 youth delegates discussed issues facing Native American communities when attending the 2011 National Intertribal Youth Summit in Sante Fe, NM last July. The Department of Justice (DOJ), which hosted the event, released a public service announcement (PSA) November 22, 2011 to share the ideas tribal youth identified as important to address with their tribal leaders at home. The PSA featured summit participants, including youth from 16 Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country sites.
During the summit, youth attended sessions lead by DOJ officials, National Congress of American Indian (NCAI) leaders, U.S. Congress staff representatives, local tribal leaders and youth development professionals. Sessions focused on topics including emerging leadership, healthy relationships, pathways to success, substance and alcohol abuse, economic and community development, personal empowerment and personal responsibility to mother earth. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit the Santa Ana Pueblo for a soccer and golf clinic with professional golfer Notah Begay III, and the San Felipe Pueblo for feast days. On their last full day, delegates participated in an interactive and open dialogue during the World Café lead by NCAI Executive Director Jackie Johnson Pata.
To learn more about the 2011 Intertribal Youth Summit, go to http://bit.ly/u4X2Kq. For more information about the justice department's work with tribal justice and safety, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/.
Five Reading Lists for Native American Youth
Does your Club have a library or education resource center? Are you looking for new Power Hour materials, specifically some that can be used for Native American Heritage month? Or are you in need of books and resources that mentors and mentees can read together?
You’re in luck! The blog American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society. The site provides links to book reviews, Native media, and more.
American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month
November is American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month! Click here to visit the new website and learn more about heritage month, Native American youth, and the schedule of Washington, DC area events that will be hosted by federal agencies, national organizations, and other partners. You can also submit information for events happening in your area that can then be added to the National Calendar.
Center for Native American Youth launches new website and PSA
Visit the Center for Native American Youth’s new website, www.cnay.org for updated Center events and youth happenings, enhanced resource guides for the youth, tribes and general public, as well as highlighted Native youth initiatives from around the country. Visitors can also share stories of inspiration that the Center will publish on its website and blog.
The Center also released a new TV public service announcement (PSA) November 2, 2011 in recognition of American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Raising awareness of the challenges facing Native youth, the Center premiered the PSA at the National Congress of American Indians’ 68th Annual Conference. The PSA features the Center’s founder and former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, NCAI president Jefferson Keel and Boston Red Sox Centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. To air the PSA, contact the Center at cnayinfo@aspeninstitute.org or (202) 736-2905.
10th Annual Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) The 10th Annual Native American Basketball Invitational will take place on July 11th - July 15, 2012. Tournament registration will open on January 1st, 2012. All information will be posted by November 1, 2011 on the official NABI Foundation website.
Lehi Teen Wins $50,000 for Her Club at MLB Fundraiser New York Yankee Robinson Cano stepped up to home plate next to his 14-year old runner, Raquelle. Robinson stood in Phoenix’s Chase Field, watching for his pitch. If he hit his twelfth homerun in the final round, $50,000 would go to Raquelle’s Boys & Girls Club. At the crack of the bat, Raquelle sprinted across the bases. And when she landed on home, she also scored the $50,000 donation for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale – Lehi Branch.
Major League Baseball (MLB) teamed up with State Farm Insurance on July 11 to host the 2011 State Farm Home Run Derby to raise money for charities, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). For the event, MLB players were paired with eight Phoenix area Club teens. Robinson hit the most homeruns of the night, winning Raquelle’s Club a large donation. The other seven participants received $10,000 for each of their Clubs. Raquelle was selected to participate in this event because of her active involvement in her Club’s programs.
The Home Run Derby raised $428,000 for BGCA and $603,000 total.
Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country, Pre-Conference Workshop On Tuesday, May 17, 2011, Club professionals and board members attended the Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country Pre-Conference Workshop the day before the start of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 105th Annual National Conference in New Orleans, LA. The attendees came to the workshop seeking information on current and future funding opportunities and the chance to network with other Native American Boys & Girls Clubs.
The workshop began with funding updates and announcements by FirstPic, Inc. Current projects that were highlighted during the presentation included T.R.A.I.L., the National Native American Mentoring Program, OJP and TYM Funding, and AmeriCorps VISTA. During this portion of the presentation the Clubs were also informed about various partnership opportunities. There are opportunities for Clubs to partner with USDA’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiative and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s Office of Native American Programs. Click here to read more.
Broadcasting in Navajo – A Slam Dunk! Doing his part to preserve the Navajo language, radio announcer Harrison Dehiya broadcasts news and sports in his native language. Dehiya, a full-blooded Navajo, has worked for Gallup’s KGAK radio station for over 14 years. His broadcasts reach hundreds of people across the Navajo Nation along the New Mexico-Arizona border nearly every day.
Dehiya first began broadcasting in Navajo in the mid-1980s. He has become very popular for his fascinating way of reporting the news and announcing sports. “What you need only one word to say in English, you need a sentence in Navajo,” he says. Dehiya has shown a real talent for calling basketball and football games in Navajo. Navajo families in rural areas, that don’t even have electricity, find ways to tune in and listen to his broadcasts. Due to the popularity of the broadcasts, a local oldies station, KYVA, has also started its own Navajo sportscasts.
While growing up, Dehiya herded sheep in his hometown of Coolidge, New Mexico. He played basketball at Thoreau High School and attended junior college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Dehiya came back to the Gallup area in the late 1970s. He happened to be in the right place at the right time and was offered a job announcing chapter meetings and news in Navajo at KGAK. For a few years in the 1980s, Dehiya also worked for KTNN in Window Rock, Arizona. In 2011, he was featured in a Sports Illustrated article highlighting his calling of basketball games in Navajo.
Woodland Boys & Girls Club joins the Let’s Move! in Indian Country Launch The Menominee Tribe hosted the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC) launch event in Keshena, WI on May 25, 2011. The Woodland Boys & Girls Club was among the partners that helped the event go off without a hitch. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, LMIC is an initiative to support and advance the work that Tribal leaders and community members are already doing to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native children. LMIC brings together federal agencies, communities, nonprofits, corporate partners and tribes to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in Indian Country within a generation. Read more here.
2011 Great Plains Area Council Award Outstanding Board Volunteer Selected among over 300 board volunteers within South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota, Lynne Doom has been named the Outstanding Board Volunteer by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Great Plains Area Council for her service to Clubs.
Lynne has been associated with the Boys & Girls Club of the Missouri River Area for ten years. During that period she served on various committees, including the Merger Task Force, Advisory Board and Resource Development Committee. Over the years, Lynne has also served as Secretary, Vice President and President of the South Dakota Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, and Vice Chair and Chair for the Great Plains Area Council representing over 40 Boys & Girls Club Organizations in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. Click here to read more!
Youth Councils Raise Money for Fellow Boys & Girls Club The Big Bend Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Three Districts, which is on the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota, was destroyed by an act of arson in November 2010. Members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the White Earth Reservation (BGCWER) Youth Councils heard about what happened and wanted to help. There are six Youth Councils made up of Club members from the BGCWER units: Mahnomen, White Earth, Rice Lake, Naytahwaush, Callaway, and Pine Point. Each Council decided to have fundraisers that would raise money to help rebuild the Club. The fundraisers sponsored by the Youth Councils took place January to June 2011.
Members of the Youth Councils, Club members and Club staff were able to travel to South Dakota to personally present the check. A check in the amount of $1,421 was given to Rhonda Hawk, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Three Districts. All Youth Council and Club members stayed overnight in Wagner, South Dakota at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Missouri River Area. This is another great example of Native American Boys & Girls Clubs working together to make a difference in the lives of Native American youth!
Cherokee Youth Center Members to Attend Let's Move in Indian Country Event at the White House The Cherokee Youth Center has been invited to attend The Lacrosse South Lawn Series at the White House this July. The event will highlight the cultural significance of the game of lacrosse as it pertains to Let's Move! in Indian Country. Lacrosse, the fastest-growing sport in the US, has Native American origins. The event will be used to introduce Native youth as well as urban youth to the game and its history. Check back soon to hear more about the Club's trip to Washington, DC.
White House Launches Webpage Dedicated to Native Americans The White House is pleased to announce the launch of "Winning the Future: President Obama and the Native American Community." This webpage is meant to serve as another tool to help Indian Country navigate the federal government and learn about how the President's Agenda is helping to win the future for Native Americans.
Native Clubs Recognized at National Conference For the past 24 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has presented Marketing and Communications (MAC) Awards at the annual National Conference. At the conference this year in New Orleans, two Native Clubs received MAC awards for comprehensive marketing strategy publicity/media relations. The Boys & Girls Club of Farmington submitted a packet of marketing tools used to advertise their 50th anniversary celebrations to win their MAC award for comprehensive marketing strategy. The package included press releases, newspaper and journal articles, and newsletters, all written about the Club’s anniversary events. To update the Club’s image, they also changed all of their letterheads to align with the new “Be GREAT” campaign. The Club held their 44th annual barbeque where four time Indy 500 race winner, and New Mexico native, Al Unser attended. They also started a new event called the Soap Box Derby which took place on June 11, 2011. Club members built soap box cars and raced them down Locke Street in Farmington, NM. All community members were invited to attend the Derby and cheer on their favorite cars. Happy Anniversary Boys & Girls Club of Farmington!
Pueblo of Pojoaque Boys & Girls Club submitted a video they made about their 10 week summer program in 2010 to win the publicity/media relations award. The video chronicles over 230 field trips the Club took in the summer of 2010. Club staff were given digital cameras to record their adventures. The Club went on a variety of trips and among the favorites were ice skating, an Albuquerque Isotopes baseball game, a visit to the University of New Mexico, a fishing trip, and a bison tour. The video can be viewed on the Club’s website (www.bgcfarmington.org) or by searching for PPGBC at www.vimeo.com.
Congratulations Pueblo Pojoaque Boys & Girls Club and Boys & Girls Club of Farmington!
Maine recognizes U.S. Marine as its Youth of the Year Club members across Maine competed for the state Youth of the Year title, but in the end, the judges awarded the honor to U.S. Marine Jeremy L. of the Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club. Enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program for the Marines, Jeremy was selected for his sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to his community.
In his 10 years at the Club, Jeremy always engaged with fellow members by participating in activities such as Power Hour, basketball, the computer lab and culinary classes. Tupperware Brands Corporation awarded Jeremy a $1,000 scholarship, which he plans to use to study politics after his tour with the Marines. Additionally, Jeremy will compete at the Regional Competition in New York City this summer. Best wishes, Jeremy!
Tribal member wins South Dakota Youth of the Year title Seven years ago, Tanner was moving in and out of homeless shelters, looking for a place to call home. But this spring, the once troubled youth claimed the South Dakota Youth of the Year title. Since he joined the Boys & Girls Club of the Missouri River Area in 2004, Tanner has transformed from a kid who lacked ambition to an honor roll student committed to community service. Tanner has earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award and dedicated 900 hours of community service to the AmeriCorps/CLUBService program. He even found time to mentor younger kids in his community, volunteer as a basketball coach and serve as the Student Advisory Board representative for his family group at the Upward Bound summer component. A member of the National Honor Society, Tanner graduated from Wagner High School with a 3.76 GPA.
For winning the Youth of the Year State Competition, Tanner received a $1,000 scholarship from Tupperware Brands Corporation. AmeriCorps is also granting him $2,300 when he attends the University of South Dakota this fall. Tanner will go on to compete in the Regional Competition in Chicago, IL, in July. Good luck, Tanner!
Pueblo of Pojoaque Boys & Girls Club Claims Prizes at the Digital Arts Festival In April, Noah D. of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Boys & Girls Club won the National Boys & Girls Club Digital Arts Festival in Design in the 6-9 age category. Fellow Club members Desiree G. and Eddie W. also won the Southwest Regional competition in their respective age groups, 13-15 and 10-12. Using an art technique called tessellation, these Club kids created patterns of colorful, interlocked shapes to land their winning spots. Click here to read more and see the winning artwork!
News from the Nations
Fun and exciting things are happening in Native American Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. To learn more about what's going on, check out News from the Nations!
Hooey and Dr. Seuss Inspire Reading
Club members at the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club got a treat when a local Kohl’s store donated 160 Hooey stuffed dolls to the Club. To encourage reading, the staff created a Dr. Seuss reading program where youth could win a stuffed animal just for reading Dr. Seuss books. After completing five Dr. Seuss books, they received a Hooey doll. The Club members liked reading so much that they began to read to pre-school age members to help the younger kids win a Hooey doll. The Dr. Seuss theme continued with youth completing word searches, mazes, coloring sheets, and watching movies. The program ran until Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd. To celebrate the end of the program, Club members read the book “Green Eggs and Ham,” and ate it for breakfast too!
We all Scream for Ice Cream!
Club members at the Boys & Girls Club of Dine Nation’s Crownpoint Unit in New Mexico are learning life skills with Kid's Kitchen. Youth are learning how to cook simple, healthy meals and snacks instead of junk food. They are also learning about keeping the cooking area clean, kitchen safety tips like how to use a knife, and recipes from different cultures. So far, participants have learned to make tamales, pizza, Cuban black beans, fruit salad, lemon pie, blue corn mush, taco salad, fried rice, fruits kabobs, Waldorf salad, apple salad, carrot salad and veggie kabobs. Every Friday, about 15 Club kids cook with Gloria Yazzie, the nutrition educator from the New Mexico State University Extension Office as part of the local 4-H project. Participants have even made the recipes from Kid’s Kitchen at home with their parents. The Kid’s Kitchen members say taste-testing is their favorite part! Recently they learned how to make simple vanilla ice cream in a plastic bag using milk, vanilla and ice. Homemade ice cream is healthier than ice cream you buy at the grocery store because you can choose the ingredients. Making your own ice cream is also an easy, fun activity. Give it a try!
Music Production –A Class Act
The Boys & Girls Club of the Seminole Tribe of Florida offers a fun and exciting Music Production Program for its youth. This program started at the Big Cypress unit. It had an immediate positive response from both the youth and parents. The Seminole Tribe of Florida recently opened a new Club at the Brighton Reservation Charter School. This Club wasted no time in starting the Music Production Program. Click here to read more.
Nordic Kids – Skiing the "Barnie"
The Boys & Girls Club of Lac Courte Oreilles in Wisconsin offers a winter program for youth called Nordic Kids. This is a combined effort with the Hayward Community. Youth participants learn various styles of skiing from local amateur and professional athletes. Nordic Kids allows members to learn the basics of both classical and skate skiing. The program takes place every Sunday for eight weeks. About 100 children, ages 6-12, including several Club members participated this year. After each lesson there was a potluck of healthy snacks. Read more.
Special Programs Promote Health and Native Culture
Club members at the Little Earth Unit of the Boys & Girls Club of the Twin Cities have been enjoying two special programs. They love learning about healthy eating through the T.R.A.I.L. diabetes prevention program. They are also learning the Ojibwe language through the Anishinaabe Language Program. Click here to read more.
Club Members Connect with Ancestors Through Jewelry Club members at the Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley in the Gila River Indian Community have been taking a class to learn about an art practiced by their ancestors many years ago. The Yuman Pee-Posh Clay Work and Beading Class teaches youth how to make traditional Maricopa clay pieces and jewelry. During the class, Club members are able to construct, design, and produce clay pieces. They also make Pee-Posh coil and Colorado River Indian cape necklaces from beads. The youth are having lots of fun expressing themselves through this traditional art form. Their pieces will be shown in a Club art collection reflecting the phrase “Great Futures Start Here.” Each member will make a piece that represents the beginning of their great future. The Clay Work and Beading Class has helped Club members reconnect with their roots while strengthening their minds.
Dog Sledding Program in Minnesota Bois Forte Band member Maurice Champagne and Nett Lake Boys & Girls Club Branch Director Donald Chosa, Jr. came up with the idea of bringing dogs and sleds to the kids at Nett Lake School and Nett Lake Boys & Girls Club. They wanted the students to have a fun, hands-on experience while also learning about the important role dog sledding has played and continues to play in the Bois Forte culture. Click here to read more.
Boys & Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes Recognized at the National Mentoring Summit Dean Foote, Jr., a 7th grader at Parshall Middle School in Parshall, North Dakota and his mentor Coby Rabbithead, Director of Program Services at the Boys & Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes, were invited to attend the event as keynote guests by the First Lady at the 2011National Mentoring Summit in Washington, DC on January 25. They served as representatives for Boys & Girls Clubs of America mentoring programs nationwide. Foote is an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes – the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. He is highly involved with the Boys & Girls Club, participates on several sports teams, and serves on the N.A.T.I.V.E. Youth Council and Torch Club. Rabbithead is very engaged with the youth in her community and has served as a mentor for over four years. She mentors Foote at the Boys & Girls Club and coaches his youth basketball team. Foote and Rabbithead also addressed the summit participants on their mentoring experience in a special session coordinated by FirstPic, Inc., on behalf of OJJDP, on mentoring initiatives in Indian Country. Click here to read more!
Northern Cheyenne Selected for Education Planning Grant
The Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation in Montana has been awarded $500,000 to develop a plan to increase youth in their area attending/graduating from college through the Promise Neighborhood planning grant. More than 300 communities from 48 states and the District of Columbia submitted applications for Promise Neighborhoods planning grants and only 21 were selected. To address the challenges faced by students living in communities of concentrated poverty, Promise Neighborhoods grantees and their partner organizations will plan to provide services from early learning to college and career, including programs to improve the health, safety, and stability of neighborhoods, and boost family engagement in student learning.
Congratulations to the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Cheyenne Nation!
The United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY)
Every year UNITY, the United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc., hosts a mid-year conference to bring youth together from Indian communities from all over the country. UNITY promotes cultural heritage, community service, and leadership among Native American youth. This year, 20 students and advisors were invited to sit down with Kim Teehee, Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs and Jodi Archambault Gillette, Deputy Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs to President Barack Obama. Read more.
Athlete Profile: Sam Bradford
There are many things that quarterback Sam Bradford is known for; Heisman Trophy winner and Cherokee Nation citizen are just a few of them. Now, Sam can list professional football player on his resumé. On April 22, 2010, Sam was selected to play the quarterback position for the St. Louis Rams in the 2010 NFL draft!
Sam played football, basketball and golf for Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City. He went on to attend the University of Oklahoma (OU) and become their starting quarterback. During his sophomore year at OU, Sam beat a school record for the number of passing yards in a game and also helped his team to win their third straight Big 12 Championship game. That same year, Sam’s accomplishments were recognized and he won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and the Heisman Trophy! Sam is the very first Native American to win the Heisman.
As a St. Louis Ram, Sam will be wearing #8 on his jersey in honor of Troy Aikman, a fellow OU alumni.
Under One Roof
On May 5, 2010 tribal members and Red Lake Nation Boys & Girls Club board members and staff attended the groundbreaking for the new Ponemah Branch of the Red Lake Boys & Girls Club. Everyone got the chance to see the blueprint plans for the inside and outside of the building. When the building is finished the Boys & Girls Club and many other community departments will share the same building. The Club, Ponemah Community Center, Library, Head Start, Social Services, Elderly Nutrition, Day Care and even a Judicial Court will all be in one building! The community is very excited. The first part to be built will be the gym and the Boys & Girls Club will be completed next. The Ponemah Branch opened its doors two years ago and serves nearly 150 kids.
National Youth of the Year Mona Dixon of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley won Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year Award. The announcement was made at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Congressional Breakfast on September 15, 2010. Mona and the other 2010 finalists of the National Youth of the Year program got the opportunity to travel all the way to Washington, D.C. Later in the day, Mona got to meet with President Obama in the Oval Office and teamed up with Denzel Washington to give interviews on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel.
Family PLUS Cook-off Wagner, SD August , 2010 -- Three families were acknowledged at the Family PLUS Cook-off held at the Boys & Girls Club of the Missouri River Area Monday, August 21, 2010. The event kicked off the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's (BGCA) 2010 school year and the Club’s initiative to encourage families to spend quality time together at the dinner table. Research shows that when families eat together there is a reduced risk of children smoking, drinking or doing drugs. Read More.
Funded by Charles Schwab Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Money Matters program is designed to promote money management skills among teens, ages 13-18. The program combines fun and educational activities on topics such as using a checking account, managing debt, saving for college and learning the basics of investing. The program is available to all Boys & Girls Clubs that serve teens and is targeted primarily at teens from underserved communities. Since it was launched in 2003, more than 200,000 teens in 1,500 Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S. have gone through the program. Read more.
Red Mountain Member Wins Pacific Region Fine Arts Competition
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale recently took part in the 2010 Boys & Girls Club Pacific Region Fine Arts Competition. The Club is very proud to announce that their very own 14 year old Lissa of the Red Mountain Branch was one of the winners! Lissa will now be representing the Club and the Red Mountain Branch at the National Fine Arts Exhibit. Let’s congratulate Lissa for a job well done and wish her luck at the National Exhibit. Stay tuned!
Community Joins Together toBuild a Playground in Parmelee
Many community groups joined together to bring a playground to the reservation community of Parmelee in South Dakota on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. The project was led by Horizons of Parmelee Entities (HOPE), Boys & Girls Club of Parmelee, South Central RC&D Council, and Community Resource & Economic Development Organization of Mission, SD, although many other groups were also involved. The new playground was built behind the Boys & Girls Club. It includes a basketball court, small activity set, monkey bars, and a merry-go-round. One community member, Gene Hopkins is working on welding skateboard ramps. He taught a welding workshop at the Club where he taught students how to weld swing sets. Volunteers are also learning how to build park benches and picnic tables that will soon be added. The Larson Foundation recently provided funding to add a large play center in the near future.
Kid Star Radio at Lehi
The Lehi Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale is fortunate to host a unique program—the first ever KidStar Internet radio program in a Boys & Girls Club. KidStar has traditionally been available in schools, though as this program grows, a stronger presence in Boys & Girls Clubs is forthcoming. Find out more about how Club members are learning about radio broadcast.
Barrow Club Member in the News Barrow, the northernmost community in the United States, is located on the Chukchi Sea coast 725 air miles from Anchorage. The Arctic temperatures range from -56 to 78 °F, with an average temperature of 40 °F during summer. The sun does not set between May 10th and August 2nd each summer and does not rise between Nov. 18th and January 24th each winter. The majority of Barrow’s residents are Inupiat Eskimos. Traditional marine mammal hunts and other subsistence practices are an active part of the culture. Bowhead, gray and beluga whales migrate near Barrow each summer. The Barrow Club has two staff – Club Manager Selena Booth and Kaitlin Applegate – and 102 members ranging from ages 6-18. The majority of the Club kids are Eskimo. Some of the Club programs include Power Hour, social recreation, and Triple Play, as well as a variety of cultural activities such as dancing, drumming and beading with local elders, volunteers and staff. Recently, Barrow Club member Paul Patkotak made the news for his accomplishment while whale hunting. Learn more.
Wisconsin Club Celebrates Accomplishments of Jr. Images Program
The Boys & Girls Club of Lac Courte Oreilles implemented a program to help boost girls self-esteem and self-worth this past year. Learn more about the program and the special field trip the girls took to celebrate their accomplishments. Learn more
Mentoring Program Begins Sixth Year of Implementation
Entering it’s sixth year of implementation, the National Native American Mentoring Program is seeking to expand its reach by creating more mentoring matches. Currently serving over 500 youth, the two branches of the program received continuation funding that will sustain their programs into the fall of 2010. Learn more.
Caleb's Courage
Robert North, Sr. Director of Development and Operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Seminole Tribe of Florida shares how his life was touched by one Pawnee youth who overcame cancer. Read the story.
Building Partnerships
Facing the possibility of closing their Club’s doors, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs built a partnership with a traditional Boys & Girls Club that has led to benefits for both organizations. See full article.
On June 1, 2012 the White House held an event to celebrate the first year of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC) initiative. Youth and adults from across the country came to the event. Representatives from Native communities and organizations made up a panel to talk about all of the successes in the first year. Professional basketball players Tahnee Robinson of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and Ben Strong of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians were on the panel. After the discussion they lead a basketball clinic for youth.
Each quarter, we ask youth to respond to a question from Club Notes. Here is how Club members from the Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club in Odanah, WI answer the question, If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Seven years ago, Tanner was moving in and out of homeless shelters, looking for a place to call home. But this spring, the once troubled youth claimed the South Dakota Youth of the Year title. Since he joined the Boys & Girls Club of the Missouri River Area in 2004, Tanner has transformed from a kid who lacked ambition to an honor roll student committed to community service. Tanner has earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award and dedicated 900 hours of community service to the AmeriCorps/CLUBService program. He even found time to mentor younger kids in his community, volunteer as a basketball coach and serve as the Student Advisory Board representative for his family group at the Upward Bound summer component. A member of the National Honor Society, Tanner graduated from Wagner High School with a 3.76 GPA. 
h grader at Parshall Middle School in Parshall, North Dakota and his mentor Coby Rabbithead, Director of Program Services at the Boys & Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes, were invited to attend the event as keynote guests by the First Lady at the 2011National Mentoring Summit in Washington, DC on January 25. They served as representatives for Boys & Girls Clubs of America mentoring programs nationwide. Foote is an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes – the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. He is highly involved with the Boys & Girls Club, participates on several sports teams, and serves on the N.A.T.I.V.E. Youth Council and Torch Club. Rabbithead is very engaged with the youth in her community and has served as a mentor for over four years. She mentors Foote at the Boys & Girls Club and coaches his youth basketball team. Foote and Rabbithead also addressed the summit participants on their mentoring experience in a special session coordinated by FirstPic, Inc., on behalf of OJJDP, on mentoring initiatives in Indian Country. 
